He asked all the concerned agencies to work on war footing to improve the CNG supply to meet the full requirements.

At the meeting Om Narayan, MD, IGL, explained the constraints being faced by IGL in terms of their expansion programme being held up by the Regulator due to on going clarification between IGL/Ministry and the Regulator, lack of allotment of new lands and bottlenecks faced by them in the expansion of CNG network in NCR towns particularly Noida, where IGL has already completed its pipeline network.

However, there is a mid-way stoppage of construction of the CNG station by Noida Authority. IGL has already made an investment of over Rs. 40 Crore in Noida.

As far as Delhi is concerned, there has been a 250 per cent growth of CNG users in the private segment during last two years and with the recent hike in the prices of petrol and diesel, there has been a sharp rise in CNG conversion by vehicle owners.

IGL has given its detailed expansion plan in terms of which by December 2008 they would be expanding the dispensing capacity of CNG by 30 per cent to 40 per cent by installing 54 new electric motor driven compressors, and 120 CNG dispensers.

IGL is also in touch with DTC to allow utilization of their depots at six locations for multiuse.

On the request of IGL seeking Ministry’’s intervention to get them more plots, single window permissions for various clearances to tackle CNG demand on war footing, Deora, assured that he would immediately take up the issues with Delhi Chief Minister and other agencies in Delhi .

Regarding opening up of CNG Stations in Noida and Gurgaon, the Minister would take-up the matter with the Government of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana for removing impediments for facilitating CNG expansion programme.

Deora was informed that the current inadequacy of CNG supply in Delhi has been largely caused by the increase in demand by CNG buses/taxis/autos/private vehicles coming from neighboring suburbs (particularly Noida, Ghaziabad , Gurgaon and Faridabad ).

He observed that the Government of UP and Haryana give the required clearances to IGL for opening CNG stations, it would benefit the public transport in their towns as they are presently required to undertake journey to Delhi to fill up CNG in their vehicles, which is avoidable.

Deora would be attending the CNG Consumers Meet organized by IGL at their R. K. Puram station tomorrow i.e. July 20, 2008 10:00 a.m. for assessing on the spot difficulties being faced by the CNG vehicles while obtaining supplies.

Chief Minister, Delhi , MOS (PNG) Dhinsha Patel and Chairman and Members of PNGRB have also been invited to attend. He has directed IGL to invite representatives of the Transport Operator Associations covering Buses, Taxis, Auto-rickshaws for an interaction on the occasion.

Presently, IGL runs 163 CNG stations in Delhi and caters to nearly 2.25 lakh vehicles (50 per cent each are public and private vehicles), filling over 13 lakh kgs/day. One month back it was only 11 lakh kg/day.

Piped Natural Gas (PNG) is being supplied to around 1.25 lakh households in Delhi . (ANI)